SNAP4CT Blog

There are very few times when I'm not in the mood for soup, it seems... I've become a pro soup-builder. Apart from being delish, it's so easy to throw what I have in a pot and end up with a fantastic and nutritious meal. Here's how I do it.

1

Start with a base.

Pick one or both. If using only tomatoes, you'll need to add a couple cups of water as well. Don't forget the extra water or broth if you plan to add lentils. [Learn how to make your own broth here]

Canned Tomatoes - Crushed or Diced

Low Sodium Broth

2

Choose your veggies.

Fresh or frozen (and thawed) work best, but you can also use canned. Be sure to drain and rinse canned veggies to cut back on added salt.

3

Add protein, if you'd like.

Beans, lentils, or even leftover cooked chicken work well. Drain and rinse canned beans before adding. For each cup of lentils you use, add 3 cups water or broth.

4

Top it off with herbs and spices.

Add a bit of dried or fresh oregano, a little cumin, or a couple teaspoons of garlic powder. Flavor is easy to add with herbs and spices, and it's up to you!

Oregano

Parsley

Thyme

Putting it together:

Toss all ingredients into a large pot and bring to a boil.

Turn heat to low and simmer for 30 min (or longer if using fresh vegetables, until they are tender).

​We’ve got the perfect gift idea for the friends, neighbors, teachers, and coworkers in your life. You want to give them something to let them know you care, and you also don’t want to break the bank. Food is a good choice, but many people are overloaded (and overstuffed) with cookies, cakes, candies, and other treats this time of year.

Our gift of choice? Popcorn! There are tons of flavor choices, and you can throw it together for less than $2 per gift. $2 DOLLARS! All you need is popcorn kernels, canola oil, a gift bag, and seasoning (see recipes below for options). As an added bonus - popcorn is a whole grain that is high in fiber and makes a healthy snack!

Basic Popcorn Recipe

Makes: about 16 cups

Ingredients

½ cup popcorn kernels

¼ cup canola oil

Instructions

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat (pot should have a lid). Add 3-4 kernels of popcorn.

Once all the kernels pop, add the rest of the kernels.

Put the lid on the pot and constantly shake the pot back and forth quickly over the heat (to keep popcorn from burning).

Remove from heat once popping has nearly stopped.

Stumped on picking a container?

​Here are some ideas:

coffee tin wrapped with wrapping paper

paper lunch sack

large plastic storage bags

cellophane bags

​​Tie on ribbon or twine to make it pretty, if you'd like. You can even have the kids color the package or add stickers as a final touch.​

Kettle Corn

Extra ingredients:

¼ cup sugar

Follow directions above for basic popcorn, but add sugar in with kernels in step 2.

Chili Popcorn

Follow directions for basic popcorn. Add 4 Tbs (more or less) of our Chili Seasoning Mix to the pot after removing from heat in step 4. Stir to coat.

Taco Popcorn

Follow directions for basic popcorn. Add 4 Tbs (more or less) of our Taco Seasoning to the pot after removing from heat in step 4. Stir to coat.

Ranch Popcorn

Follow directions for basic popcorn. Add 4 Tbs (more or less) of our Healthy Ranch Dressing Mix to the pot after removing from heat in step 4. Stir to coat.

Services

Support

​This information was funded by the USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - SNAP.SNAP helps low-income people buy nutritious food for a better diet. To get more information contact the CT Department of Social Services at 1 855 626-6632 or www.CT.gov/dss.